Film 2417 - Black Phone 2

Intro: Once I refreshed my memory on the first film, it was time to go and catch the second one at the movies.

Film 2417: "Black Phone 2" (2025), Scott Derrickson
Watched: At the movies
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor, Niamh
Thoughts: “The Black Phone” — or how to ruin a franchise. I think this is one of the biggest disappointments of 2025, definitely one of the worst films I've watched this year. I was so excited that a sequel to the original "The Black Phone" was coming out, as I loved the first movie. But after seeing what they did with the story and how they decided to continue it, the only question I had in my mind was: “Why?” It's not because this film is so different from the first one — that wouldn't have bothered me too much, although it did because of how bad it was. It's mainly because this is such a departure from the original that it doesn’t even feel like they belong to the same franchise. The cinematography is bad, the whole look is glossy (which doesn't really make sense for a horror movie?), and most of it seems to have been filmed in front of a green screen, whereas The Black Phone felt grounded in reality, even though it belonged to the supernatural horror genre. This one… feels like a fever dream of its own. I know "Black Phone 2" got decent reviews, but it really didn't work for me. Bad.
Film 2117 - The Black Phone
Film 2416 - The Black Phone
Film 2417 - Black Phone 2
Cast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, Demián Bichir, Ethan Hawke.
Box Office: $132 million
Worth a watch?: If you liked the first one… you won’t like this one. At least I didn’t. I wish I hadn’t seen it — it really ruined this franchise for me.
Awards: /
Key word: Bad dreams.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi

Film 2416 - The Black Phone

Intro: Kate and I are rediscovering watching movies together at home, like we used to back in the day when we lived together in DCU. Only this time, we have a projector to make things feel more cinematic.

Film 2416: "The Black Phone" (2021), Scott Derrickson
Watched: From the projector
Language: English
Watched with: Yegor, Kate
Thoughts: I remember watching this in theaters and not knowing what to expect. I ended up really liking the movie, so it was only a matter of time before I rewatched it, especially with the second one coming out.
To no one’s surprise, I enjoyed this second watch as well. I remembered enough of the movie to know what to expect; still, it didn’t ruin the experience for me. I still think it’s a great addition to the supernatural horror genre, and Ethan Hawke is an amazing baddie, especially considering he acts with a mask on for almost the entire film.
One thing I really appreciate about "The Black Phone" is how grounded in reality it feels, even though the supernatural element of the story is so prominent.
Great movie.
Film 2117 - The Black Phone
Film 2416 - The Black Phone
Film 2417 - Black Phone 2
Cast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, Ethan Hawke.
Box Office: $161.4 million
Worth a watch?: If you’re a fan of supernatural horror movies, this one should be on your watch list. A sequel recently came out, which is even more reason to check this film out.
Awards: /
Key word: 23317.
Trailer
#HollywoodCiak
Bengi